Actuarial Student Year Placement - September 2025

We are currently taking applications for undergraduates looking to pursue an industrial placement year from September 2025. This role will be a 1-year placement in our vibrant Reading office.

XPS Group is a leading UK consulting and administration business specialising in the pensions and insurance sectors. At XPS, our vision is to create a vibrant place to work where difference is recognised as a power and where talented people can flourish and achieve their highest potential.

Our Actuarial business continues to grow, and we are looking for an enthusiastic undergraduate who is keen to pursue an industrial placement year from our city centre office in Reading.

A FTSE 250 company, XPS combines expertise and insight with advanced technology and analytics to address the needs of over 1,400 pension schemes and their sponsoring employers on an ongoing and project basis. We undertake pensions administration for over one million members and provide advisory services to schemes and corporate sponsors in respect of schemes of all sizes, including 88 with assets over £1bn. We also provide wider ranging support to insurance companies in the life and bulk annuities sector.

Our people drive our success and as an XPS employee you can bring your whole self to work - Everyone is treated equally and with respect. We will provide you with the support and training you need to grow and be at your very best. It’s about inclusion and diversity, ensuring all our people feel included, that they belong to XPS and that they’re happy. Above all, it’s about ensuring everyone has a voice and feels valued. Because they are.

The Team

Our actuaries work closely with trustees and plan sponsors to devise a funding plan suited to each scheme - within the constraints of legislation. The Belfast office provides actuarial and consultancy advice to a range of trustee and corporate clients and is part of a larger actuarial community across our other UK office locations. We use plain English believing that clarity is as important as accuracy in the delivery of actuarial advice.

The Role

As a Student Placement with XPS you will be integrated into the team from day one.

Our placement students are exposed to a variety of real client issues and from the start you will become a valuable member of a motivated, supportive and sociable team. Our students are exposed to all aspects of the work of our actuarial team, for example carrying out valuations of benefits for pension schemes and individual members. We believe that the experience we offer our placement students allows them to develop invaluable skills that will help them greatly with their future studies and career.

"…At the beginning of my placement I was quite shy but as my placement progressed, I found myself discussing technical issues amongst senior personnel, responding to client queries and working on key projects with a range of people. A large part of this was due to working within a team of highly motivated, friendly individuals who instilled me with confidence to take on additional responsibilities…” Previous XPS Pensions Group Placement Student

Essential Criteria

• Successful candidates will have excellent communication and organisation skills as well as the ability to "think outside the box” to deliver solutions for our clients.
• This role requires you to be working towards a minimum of a 2:1 honours degree in any discipline, although ideally mathematics, economics or a science-based subject. Please include individual module marks to date within your CV.
• You will also need to have achieved an A grade (or higher) at A-Level (or equivalent qualification) in mathematics.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• A client-focused approach with the potential and desire to deliver excellent client service.
• Well-developed communication skills, both orally and in writing, and suitable for a diverse range of people.
• An ability to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team and an aptitude for working with people.
• An eagerness to take on responsibility and an ability to manage multiple demands on your time.
• Ideally, you will be competent in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, and have a general interest in our industry.

What we offer:

We offer an attractive reward package; typical benefits can include:

• Competitive salary
• Participation in annual discretionary Bonus Scheme
• 25 days holiday plus adaptability to buy or sell holiday
• Adaptable Bank holidays
• Pension scheme, matching contribution structure
• Healthcare cash plan
• Adaptable Benefits Scheme to support you in and out of work, helping you look after you and your family covering Security & Protection, Health & Wellbeing, Lifestyle
• Life Assurance cover, four times basic salary
• XPS Rewards (offers High Street discounts and savings from retailers and services providers as well as offers available via phone)
• Employee Assistance Programme for you and your household
• Access to a digital GP service
• Paid volunteering day when participating in Company organised events
• Staff referral scheme when you introduce a friend to XPS

What next:

If you feel XPS could be the next step on your career ladder, please apply directly via the links provided and we look forward to learning more about you. We will consider all applicants and respond swiftly.

Please discuss with the recruitment team, via phone or email, if you require any adjustments to the recruitment process. For example, we can provide materials in an alternative format or give you extra time in interviews or tests.